Double pull hood latch with interlock device

Abstract

A hood latch system for a motor vehicle includes a vehicle hood latch assembly configured in operable communication with a gearshift member. The vehicle hood latch assembly is prevented from unintended release of a vehicle hood striker, fixed to a hood of the motor vehicle, from a ratchet of the latch assembly when the gearshift member is shifted into a non-parked mode. When the gear shift member is selectively actuated in a park mode, the vehicle hood latch assembly is actuated to release the striker from the ratchet, thereby allowing the hood to be opened.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 404,956 filed Oct. 6, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 366,923 filed Jul. 26, 2016. The entire disclosure of each of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to latches for closure panels and more particularly to hood latch assemblies for motor vehicles equipped with an interlock device.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]Latches for vehicle hoods and the like are typically actuated in two stages. During a first stage a first release device, such as a handle, is actuated inside the vehicle which moves the latch from a primary closed position to secondary closed position. To release the latch completely the vehicle occupant typically must exit the vehicle and actuate a second release device, such as a lever, that is under the hood. This may be inconvenient in some situations.[000...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a latch assembly for a hood release in a vehicle. The latch assembly is designed to prevent accidental release of the hood when the vehicle is running or parking. The assembly includes a release lever, a pawl, and a ratchet. The release lever is connected to a gearshift member and can be moved between a locked position and a neutral position. The gearshift member can be moved between a parked position and non-parked positions where the pawl remains locked or unlocked. This design ensures that the hood cannot be accidentally released when the vehicle is running or parking. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a safer and reliable mechanism for hood release in a vehicle.

Problems solved by technology

This may be inconvenient in some situations.

One drawback of such a double-pull release latch for a vehicle hood is that the user may unintentionally release the hood, or have forgotten that they have released the hood, and then proceed to drive away leaving the hood in a state where it can be caught by the wind and flung upwardly.

One drawback of having latches with snow load levers is that upon a soft close of the hood, the force of the hood closure may not be sufficient to transition the latch to at least the secondary closed position due to the snow load lever maintaining the pawl in disengaged engagement with the ratchet.

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